Kaldewei Sets Industry Benchmark With Circular Economy Pilot At 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin

Kaldewei, the premium German manufacturer of sustainable bathroom solutions, has launched a pioneering circular economy initiative in collaboration with the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin. In a first-of-its-kind pilot project, Kaldewei has successfully refurbished and reinstalled used shower surfaces and bathtubs, demonstrating the viability of large-scale upcycling in the hospitality and construction sectors.

Photo: Kyle Knodell / KALDEWEI - A ground-breaking project is changing the sanitary industry: Kaldewei is demonstrating how a genuine circular economy can work in the construction and project business with a pioneering pilot project at the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin.

The project marks a significant milestone in sustainable building practices. Existing Kaldewei Superplan showers and bathtubs, originally installed over a decade ago, were carefully dismantled during the hotel’s recent renovation, returned to Kaldewei, and restored using a proprietary multi-stage process. The refurbished products now feature Kaldewei’s Secure Plus anti-slip enamel surface, enhancing both safety and performance.

Photo: Kyle Knodell / KALDEWEI - Kaldewei gives used shower surfaces and bathtubs a second life at the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin.

“With this project, we are showing that the circular economy is not a concept for tomorrow, but can be successfully implemented today,” explains Jakob Klingenberg, Key Account Manager Project Management at Kaldewei.“

As a pioneer in the industry, we are sending out a clear message: durable products can remain valuable even at the end of their useful life - and can actually be reused as refurbished products.” Klingenberg was responsible for the close coordination between Kaldewei and the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin and all other project participants.

The remanufacturing process, which included sandblasting and re-enamelling, resulted in an impressive carbon footprint reduction compared to producing new units. The refurbished products were reinstalled by a specialist contractor, seamlessly integrating into the hotel’s refreshed interior concept, which prioritises resource conservation and design excellence.

Photo Credit: KALDEWEI_25hours_Jakob_Klingenberg - “We show how upcycling works in the project business and bring Cradle to Cradle to life,” says Jakob Klingenberg from Kaldewei.

“We show how upcycling works in the project business and bring cradle to cradle to life,” Jakob Klingenberg continues. The remanufacturing of the shower surfaces and bathtubs by Kaldewei produced around 65 per cent less CO2 than the manufacture of new products.”

The initiative aligns perfectly with the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin’s ethos, which embraces bold design and environmental responsibility.

The hotel unveiled its updated look on 4 July 2025, celebrating its anniversary with a renewed commitment to future-oriented hospitality.

Photo Credit: KALDEWEI_25hours_Margaux_Verbeek- “The hotel development industry still has many opportunities to become more environmentally friendly,” says Margaux Verbeeck, Project Manager at KNSA Hospitality

“The hotel development industry still has many opportunities to become more environmentally friendly,” says Margaux Verbeeck, Project Manager at KNSA Hospitality.

“The success of this story at the 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin is a step in the right direction and hopefully the start of many more successful upcycling projects”

With this pilot, Kaldewei has established a new benchmark for the bathroom sector. No other manufacturer has implemented upcycling at this scale, and the company now aims to extend this model to other partners and projects across the industry.

Further information and illustrations are available from Kaldewei’s virtual press office: www.kaldewei.com